


Fitting In - Sean's POV

by Blueskydancers



Series: Secrets and Consequences [2]
Category: Lord of the Rings RPF, The Lord of the Rings - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Police, M/M, My version of The Sweeney - the 70's TV series
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-30
Updated: 2014-12-30
Packaged: 2018-03-04 10:28:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,345
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3064406
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Blueskydancers/pseuds/Blueskydancers
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>DI Sean Bean is part of The Sweeney, The Flying Squad, and little does he know how much his life is going to change when a new DS joins his team.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Fitting In - Sean's POV

**Author's Note:**

> Takes place in October 1980
> 
> This is my version of the 70's tv programme The Sweeney. I had a conversation with a friend when we were trying to think up which LOTR characters could play the two main roles of Regan and Carter and this is what happened. This series is very much set in London so hence the frequent use of London/Cockney slang - I'm happy to explain if anything is too baffling but hopefully context should help I hope.

**October 1980**  
Sean walked into the pub and looked around for Reg and his new DS. The place was packed as usual and because most of the clientele were coppers, Sean’s near six foot height didn’t give him much of an advantage. Luckily Reg wasn’t the subtle type so Sean soon heard his booming voice over the general din coming from the lunchtime crowd and was able to head in the right direction.

Sean wondered how the new member of the team would fit in. Reg had recommended him, and Sean had asked around amongst guys he knew and without exception they’d pegged young Bloom as a bloody good copper. One who cut corners on occasion, but then that was something they all did. Also, he was young for a DS which led Sean to expect something out of the ordinary.

When he finally pushed his way through to the bar and could see the slim figure standing next to Reg, he realised that Bloom was not only exceptionally young to be a detective sergeant; he also had a face and body that made Sean’s mouth water.

He moved closer to the bar but stayed out of Reg’s line of sight because he wanted to watch and listen unnoticed. He succeeded until he overheard Bloom say, “What will the guv’nor drink, Reg?”

The voice had the trace of the Home Counties and Sean couldn’t help responding, “A pint of bitter.”

Bloom, his attention on the barman, didn’t look at Sean just nodded and said, “Sure thing.”

When the lad finally turned away from the bar and began to hand out the drinks, Sean got his first clear look at him close up. Ever since he turned sixteen, Sean had known that he didn’t much give a toss about the gender of his bed partners, and as a result had fucked his way through a large number of both sexes before he joined the West Midlands force. It had all changed when he learned that the police were some of the most homophobic cunts around. Self preservation and wanting to advance his career had ensured that he became one of the boys, and in ten years he hadn’t been tempted by another man. Until now…

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Over the next few days, Sean managed to ignore his attraction to his new DS, mostly by sending him out of the office as much as possible. The ploy backfired though, as Sean discovered when he found himself becoming anxious if he didn’t see Lando at least once each day. This was something that had never happened to Sean before.

In the couple of weeks since he joined the squad, the lad had made himself at home and had begun to earn everyone’s respect. He’d made it clear from his first day that he was willing to work hard and would muck in, even with the rotten jobs. Sean had also done some more judicious investigation and discovered that Lando didn’t appear to have a girlfriend; in fact in his four years on the force, there had been very little evidence of a love interest. His discreet enquiries had been unable to find a single person to say anything bad about the lad personally, with one exception: a uniformed inspector, who Sean knew personally to be as bent as a nine bob note. If the guy had made a pass and Lando had turned him down, it might indicate that Lando preferred women; on the other hand it might just mean that the lad had good taste as the man concerned was notorious in E Division.

It was late on a Tuesday afternoon when Reg got back to the office. Sean had been in a filthy mood all day because he’d been hauled over the coals that morning about there not being enough activity from his squad. Apparently they were lagging behind in the unofficial arrest table, and his boss DCI Griffiths wanted to know why. So he wasn’t feeling really very receptive when Reg asked for a chat. 

“What’s it about, Reg?” Sean had to resist the urge to tell him to go fuck himself.

“I’ve got a solid gold tip off, guv.”

“How sure is it?” Sean responded wearily.

“Pure fucking nine carat.”

His interest pricked, Sean gestured for Reg to take a seat. “I’m getting a lot of grief from the boss so this had better be good. Whatcha got?”

“An illegal dog-fighting den in Enfield.”

”Fuck me, Reg. You want me to get excited about dog fighting? To make an impression this month, I need something a bit better than that.”

Reg grinned, “That’s where you’re wrong. This place is owned by some titled wanker and besides offering the dog fights, he’s running a brothel there too. My snout tells me that the girls are young, possibly illegals, but definitely underage.”

“You sure?”

“Sure as eggs is eggs.”

Suddenly businesslike, Sean said, “Okay. Get a team out there later tonight to have a look see; let Bloom lead. We need to see what he can do. Tell him I want a verbal report first thing tomorrow. Organise a reccy the night after too; you can cover that one. We need to make sure we nick them with fights underway as well as when the girls are working. If the owner does have a title, he’s also likely to have a smarmy brief and friends in high places. We can’t afford to screw this one up.” 

Once Reg had left to set up the surveillance, Sean had a chance to wonder just why he’d said that Bloom should lead the first night. Was it just because he wanted to see what the new man could do, or was it something more? After five minutes aimless pondering, Sean decided that he should just wait and see.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Late the following Thursday evening, Sean was sitting next to Dave, his driver, in the front of one of the squad’s Transit vans. Sean knew that Lando was waiting with the others in the back of the van and that there was another similar van a couple of hundred yards away.

Seeing a flashy car pull up and Marcus climb out of the back seat, Sean got on the radio. “Right the main players have arrived; is everyone ready?”

Getting agreement from the men in the other van and the uniformed woodies waiting outside the estate, Sean banged on the divider between him and the guys in the back, “Okay, the Honourable Marcus St John-Smythe has just arrived, so we’re going in. Don’t forget, I want that bastard caught red-handed.” He wasn’t sure what made him add, “That’s your job, Lando. Concentrate on nicking him and let the others mix it up with the heavy mob.” Whether it was a ploy to protect Lando from the major punch up that was sure to happen or to let him get credit for a major arrest, Sean wasn’t sure, but he knew the thought of the younger detective being hurt made him feel sick.

Lando’s voice echoed from the back of the van, “Right, guv.” 

Sean led the dozen men over to the smaller opening in the shutter door of the warehouse which served as the front entrance to the club, and stood to one side as one of the bigger lads kicked it in. Without hesitation, he headed into the low building. 

Sean pushed his way into the main area and waited for news of the raid to spread. He knew it wouldn’t take more than a couple of minutes for everyone to quieten down. When the only sound was that of a couple of the dogs barking and snarling at each other, Sean shouted, “Right! We’re the Sweeney and you’re all nicked. We’ve got men and dogs outside so if you want your arse chewed just try to make a run for it.”

Sean watched as first a trickle and then a flood of men tried to make a break for it. At the same time he was trying to spot Lando. Just to keep an eye on him, Sean told himself. Movement from the corner of his eye made him turn, and he saw Lando lay out one of Marcus’ bodyguards with a low blow that made him whistle in admiration. Then he saw Marcus bolt, closely followed by his new DS and Sean swore. Why on earth did he tell Lando to concentrate on Marcus?. Even though he wanted to follow right away, Sean knew that he had to make sure the rest of the club’s clients didn’t make a run for it, and that they managed to take any girls working there into protective custody. Calling Reg and a DC over, he gave instructions, knowing that the men would carry them out to the letter. Then he headed in the direction that Lando and Marcus had taken.

Sean followed them down a slippery flight of stone steps and into a corridor that headed towards the right side of the building. He cursed Marcus; trust that bastard to have a way out set up.

Up ahead, he heard a yelp of what sounded like pain, and then sounds of a scuffle, ended by a dull thump. Then nothing except some low, muttered cursing. In the dim light he rounded a corner and his heart jumped into this throat when he saw both Marcus and Lando on the ground. Marcus looked to be out for the count, but Lando was slumped against the slime covered wall and it didn’t take any medical knowledge for Sean to see that his arm was broken and something was possibly wrong with his shoulder.

After checking that Marcus wasn’t about to go anywhere, Sean crouched down beside Lando, a little surprised that the lad was still conscious. He’d received broken bones in the line of duty before, and he knew how much it fucking hurt. And this looked to be a bad break. “Bloody hell, lad. When I said make sure you nick him, I didn’t mean you to get hurt doing it.”

Lando offered a faint smile but no more. Knowing he needed to get help, Sean grabbed the radio out of his pocket and thumbed the transmit button, only to be met by a burst of static. Bugger it; the walls of the tunnel must be blocking the signal. 

Hating to do it, Sean said to Lando, “I need to go upstairs to get a signal. I won’t be a minute.” Not sure that Lando had really understood him, Sean stood and quickly made his way back up the stairs. 

Grabbing the first squad member he saw, he said urgently, “I need an ambulance right away; Lando has got himself banged up a bit. He’s down there.” Sean pointed in the direction of the stairs and then looked around the warehouse. Apart from the occasional scuffle it was quiet. “I’m going down to wait with him. Oh and send a couple of the lads down for Marcus, I want him in cuffs and on his way to the station as soon as possible.” 

As soon as the man nodded understanding, Sean headed back down the stairs.

Lando must have blacked out for a minute or two, because when Sean crouched back down beside him he started as though surprised. 

Gripping his undamaged shoulder, Sean said, “It’s okay, lad, an ambulance is on the way.”

Looking around, Sean saw a piece of wood lying on the floor and decided that Marcus had used it as a weapon. He was bloody impressed that Lando had managed to take Marcus down despite everything. If the bastard hadn’t already been spark out, Sean would have been sure to give him a kicking. 

Not being able to do anything made Sean feel helpless. When Lando started shivering, Sean took off his jacket and covered him with it. Closing his eyes, Lando seemed to pass out again. 

Meanwhile, Marcus had regained consciousness and began to protest. Just in time - because Sean was about to thump him - a couple of uniforms came clattering down the stairs, shoved the handcuffs on him and hauled him away.

Lando begun to mutter and mumble, making no sense. Getting increasingly worried by Lando’s apparent disorientation, Sean cursed, “Fuck it! Where’s that bloody ambulance?”

As though they’d heard him, the paramedics and Reg rushed down the stairs. Reg looked at Lando with concern. “Bloody hell, guv, is he okay?”

“Not sure. Looks like a broken arm and maybe a dislocated shoulder to me. But he’s really out of it.”

They stood to one side while paramedics strapped Lando’s arm in place so as not to do more damage, before loading him onto a stretcher.

One of them looked at the staircase consideringly and then said, “It’s going to be bloody difficult to get the stretcher around that bend without jostling him about.”

Sean gestured anxiously at the exit doorway away on his left. “I think that leads out onto the river. Have a nose down there, Reg, and see if they can get him out that way.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The wait at the hospital while Lando was treated had seemed interminable to Sean, but he was very pleased when the doctor told him that despite excessive bruising to his arm and shoulder, Lando was only suffering from a simple break to his left upper arm. The doctor had also said that he saw no reason why, once his arm had been put in plaster, Lando shouldn’t go home. Sean therefore decided to stay and give him a lift. If questioned, he would have sworn that he was doing it out of concern for the newest member of his team, but deep down he knew that he was attracted to the younger man. Not that he could do anything about it, of course. There was no telling if Lando even fancied men; nothing in his actions the past two weeks had given Sean the slightest hint.

While he was waiting, Sean managed to sweet talk one of the nurses in casualty into letting him use a phone. He dialled the squad room number and, as he had hoped, Reg answered.

“Reg, it’s Sean.”

“Hello, guv. How’s young Lando doing?” 

Sean smiled; he’d always guessed that Reg had a soft spot for the lad. “He’s doing okay now. They’re going to let him home in a bit, so I thought I’d wait and give him a lift. That’s one of the reasons I’m phoning, Reg; I need you to do something for me.”

“Sure thing. What do you need?”

“I want the paperwork on that bastard Marcus to go missing. I don’t want that little shit making bail until I’ve spoken to Lando. Something made Marcus clobber him and I want to know what it was.”

“Righto. No problem. I’ll file it and then forget where. That should give us at least twenty–four hours."

“Thanks, Reg. I owe you.”

Sean heard a snort of laughter from the other end of the line. “I’m not doing this for you, you old bugger. I’m doing it for the lad.”

Before he could frame a reply, the line went dead. Moments later, a very dopey looking Lando was wheeled into the office.

“You okay?” Sean asked, then silently cursed himself for asking a stupid question. Of course he wasn’t okay!

“Not so bad. What’s happened about Marcus?” Lando’s voice was soft and Sean, knowing he was probably lying about being okay, wondered if he should really be going home.

Hiding his concern - Lando was an adult after all - Sean said, “Don’t worry about that toe rag. I’ve arranged for him to be lost in the system for a couple of days so that he can’t do a bunk before we decide what to charge him with. With the number of men we arrested last night, it’ll take ages to process them all, so it will be a doddle to keep him under wraps. Anyway don’t worry about him now. We need to get you home, because you look like you could do with a good night’s sleep.”

Dave was driving and fortunately he knew where they were going, because Lando had fallen asleep almost as soon as they got him into the back of the car. Dave hadn’t said a thing when Sean had opted to sit in the back of the Ford rather than take his accustomed place in the front passenger seat.

When Sean discovered that Lando shared the flat with another copper he was taken with a feeling that he didn’t recognise at once. He slowly came to the realisation that jealousy wasn't something he'd felt before.

The car pulled up outside the low rise block of flats that backed onto the Regent’s Canal in Islington, and Sean, with a gentleness he didn’t usually exhibit, nudged the younger man awake. “Hey, we’re here.”

Lando looked around and Sean saw when it dawned on him that he’d slept the whole way back and tried to reassure him. “It’s okay, you were better off asleep.” Without waiting, Sean got out and went around to the other door. “Come on, let me help you out.”

Lando tried to joke, “Yeah, thanks. If I fell over now I’d probably break the other arm.”

Sean laughed, “Yeah that’d really make taking a piss difficult.”

“Christ, I don’t even want to think about it,” Lando groaned.

By the time they got inside the flat, it must have been nearly four in the morning and Lando was swaying with tiredness. Sean guessed that the pain killer they’d given him in casualty was beginning to wear off, and that Lando’s one aim would be to rest, so he asked, “Do you want to go to bed?” 

He was surprised when Lando answered, “Not right away, I need a drink and I’ve got something to tell you.”

Following Lando into the kitchen, Sean found himself staring at Lando’s arse, which caused all sorts of lecherous thoughts to run through his head, but he ignored them. Lando had been in the force long enough to know that a queer copper was a copper without any future, so even if he fancied blokes and Sean in particular, it was sure to be a cold day in hell before he did anything about it. Besides Lando was injured and now wasn’t the right time.

In the kitchen, Lando opened a cupboard and took out a couple of glasses and a bottle of scotch. Realising that the younger man was trying to pour them drinks, Sean took the bottle away from him saying, “Let me do that. You sit down.” He matched his words with actions, pushing Lando into one of the kitchen chairs that stood beside the table. 

Conscious that Lando was still on medication, Sean poured two measures, one much smaller than the other, which he set in front of Lando saying, “That’s all you’re getting with the medication you’re on, or you’ll be flying without wings.” 

Lando nodded in agreement, Sean was pleased to see. 

“Okay.” He took a sip of the drink, grimacing. 

Drinking some of his scotch, Sean said, “So, what’s so desperate that we have to talk about it now?”

Without preamble Lando said, “When I was down in the tunnel, I was feeling really woozy because my arm hurt like fuck, but I think I saw something important.”

“What?” Sean asked curiously.

“I saw Marcus pick something up – I think it might have been a body – and dump it in the river.” 

“Jesus, Lando, why are you only just telling me this now?”

Lando winced and rubbed his shoulder. “I wasn’t really sure before, and it’s only now the painkillers are wearing off that I have a clearer idea of what I saw.”

Sean felt euphoric, but it was tempered with caution. If this checked out, Marcus St John Smythe was going down for a very long time. “I have to ask; are you sure that’s what you saw?”

Lando yawned before answering, “Jesus, Sean. I’m too tired and hurt too much to be sure of anything right now. But if you don’t check it, Marcus will make bail and piss off to Spain.”

Sean realised with a flash of pleasure that it was the first time Lando had used his first name, and also that he was going to act on his DS’s information because he had faith in him. 

“Yeah I know.” Sean smiled, making mental plans for the rest of the night, which unfortunately didn’t include sleeping. “Tell you what; I’m going to get you some more of the painkillers, help you to bed, and then maybe poke around at the club for a while. I’ll call in the divers as soon as it gets light.” 

Somehow Sean managed to behave himself while he helped Lando out of his clothes and into the track pants he indicated and then into bed. He found himself thinking of the grossest things imaginable to keep his feelings under control. He waited while the other man shifted around trying to get comfortable.

At the bedroom door, he turned and said, “I’ll ring you tomorrow to check you’re okay and to let you know what we find. Don’t panic about coming back to work too soon; let your arm rest for a while.”

“Okay, g’night, and Sean. Thanks.” Lando replied sleepily.

“No bother.”

Sean closed the bedroom door and went into the kitchen quickly to wash the glasses, not wanting Lando to have to do it in the morning.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

**Three days later**  
Sean was feeling rather pleased with life when he walked back into the office, a brown cardboard folder in his hand. He saw Lando sitting at his desk talking to a couple of the squad, and realised that his day had got even better.

He immediately went over to where Lando was sitting. “Hey, good to see you back. How’s the arm?”

Before Lando could reply, Reg chimed in, “He’s fine, just horny because with that cast he can’t wank.”

Sean laughed with the rest of them when Lando replied, “Piss off! Besides, I’m right handed.” For once Sean didn’t try to deny to himself that he would desperately like to see that and listen to the sounds Lando made when he came.

Trying to regain control of himself, Sean concentrated on the contents of the folder. “Right, listen up you buggers. I’ve got the results here from the doc.”

The last few chuckles died away as he opened the folder and began his report. “As yet we don’t have definite identification on any of the bodies, though they’re all in their early teens. All three have been in the water for more than a week.” 

Sending a pointed glance at Lando, Sean remembered that he had nearly driven the divers to distraction insisting that there must be another corpse in the river when those that they had found initially had clearly been there for a while. He was glad though he hadn’t said that his DS had told him he’d seen Marcus dumping the body. That could have led to all sorts of complications.

“The common factor, and why we think they were killed, is that all three girls were pregnant,” Sean continued, “The doc reckons about six months gone in all three cases. Which would give Marcus a reason for getting rid of them; they couldn’t work for much longer and he wouldn’t have to find a way to explain three underage pregnancies.” 

“Can we tie him in to the murders, guv?” Len asked.

Sean nodded, “Well, that’s where we’re lucky. So lucky in fact, that I’m going to buy you all a drink later.”

“Bloody hell, it must be good news for this tight northern bugger to put his hand in his pocket,” Reg shouted.

With an evil grin, Sean said, “Right, for that comment, Reginald, you’re buying the second round.” He looked back at the papers in the folder. “Where we are lucky is that the Honourable Marcus is such a prat that his ties are exclusive and handmade. The makers have positively identified the one that was used to kill one of the lasses as his. His brief is going to have to argue long and hard to get him off that one.” 

Sean closed the folder with a flourish indicating that the meeting was over and let everyone make their way back to their own desks.

Walking over to where Lan was sitting, his plaster cast resting on the arm of his chair, Sean stood next to him and put his hand on the lad’s shoulder, uttering a quiet, “Thanks, Lando.” 

“What for, guv?”

Sean waited until everyone was out of earshot before he spoke again. “I’m not sure how you knew that Marcus had killed those girls and put them in the water, and if you don’t want to tell me then that’s fine, because the important thing is to put that bastard away for good. But if you ever do feel like letting me know how you knew, it would be in confidence – just between the two of us.” Sean really, really hoped that Lando would one day feel comfortable enough to reveal how he had known. Sean had been there pretty soon after Lando was hurt and he had seen how much pain his DS was in and how out of it he had been. For him to have seen Marcus do anything would have been a miracle. And, how had Lando managed to deck him and drag him back along the passage way with a broken arm?

“I’ll think about it. Yeah?” Lando equivocated.

Sean shrugged, he’d wait and bide his time until Lando felt that he could confide in him. Hopefully that might be the beginning of a trust that would lead to something else; something Sean had discovered he yearned for. “Yeah, no problem.” Sean patted his shoulder. “You know, Lando, I think you’re going to fit in just fine here; just fine.”

**Author's Note:**

> Tags will change as content and guest stars appear.


End file.
